Relax Review

Relax combines astrology with modern philosophy to weave a tale astutely as to how someone with an in-depth knowledge of prediction can change the destinies of many. But unfortunately, the producers and the director forgot to predict their own destinies after this blunder.

Sandeep (Rohan), who claims to have spent 4 years of engineering slogging at his studies in spite of being surrounded by half-naked dumb women and peers who worship alcohol, suddenly decides to do nothing worthwhile in his life, and embarks on Mission Hyderabad to RELAX.

Ram Nepal Verma (Ali), who essays the role of his only friend in the big bad city, decides to cast him in a movie titled "Pundu", which he plans to direct on the lines of "Gaayam" by the original Verma. In a series of made to believe comic situations, the heroine Anjali (Anjali) begins to dislike our hero for all the reasons known to avid Telugu movie-goers, a dislike which, after a series of even more made to believe funny sequences, turns into complete hatred.

But one day she suddenly discovers him saving a stray ugly puppy, which was a billion light years away from any threat, and decides to marry him. She goes one step further by consulting an astrologer about their futures together, all in the space of a dull crappy song.

This astrologer, who happens to be renowned philosopher too, sensing the non-conformism in Sandeep, takes it upon himself to prove his science. He then gives Sandeep a time line of all the events that will happen in the next one month as a PPT, which shows him attaining popularity and wealth, and also becoming a murderer.

In spite of his total lack of effort, Sandeep becomes a rich lad by jumping around with a psycho and a famous personality, and then by having his photo replaced in a television studio, which announces him as a candidate in the next elections. Thunderstruck by the accuracy of the astrologer, the to-be couple try to trace him, but to no avail.

Another series of supposedly humorous situations follows. In his quest to be a murderer, the hero and his chamchas come up with various schemes to kill someone and be done with the prophecy. What happens later and how the prophecy comes true is what the rest of the film is about.

Overall, the only decent performance comes from Ali, who excels in the role as the hero's sidekick. Rohan is truly magnanimous by not making any effort to alter his expression more than necessary during the whole movie. The heroine has talent, but there is no scope for her to perform as she looks confused most of the time about whom she should gyrate with. The usual trio of Brahmanandam, Tanikella Bharani and M S Satyanarayana deliver the goods in various small yet well-executed roles. The music by Ramana Gogula is below par.